Spiders, Wargs, and Wights!
by sheraiah
Summary: A Mirkwood Halloween tale. COMPLETE


Title: Spiders, Wargs, and Wights!

Rating: PG

Spoilers: My own fics, perhaps LOTR

Timeline: Pre-LOTR

Beta:

Dedication: The folks at Haldir Lovers, ThranduilLoversAnon, and LOTR. Happy Halloween!

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The three elflings crept down the corridor, their hearts in their throats. They had never ventured this far into the tunnels under the palace. Hearing the scratch of spider legs around every turn and the heavy breathing of wargs in every dark corner they held tightly to each other's hands as they crept along down the unfamiliar twists and turns searching for the door that led back up to the banquet hall and the Harvest celebration in progress. They knew that it was not likely that they would be missed until morning and it was a gnawing fear in their insides that they would have to spend the night lost in the tunnels.

Legolas, ever the instigator even though he was the youngest by 15 years, took the lead. Rieon and Ilmrie followed their younger friend, all pretense of bravado long since gone. Legolas strained all his senses to the limit, trying to find his way by sight, sound, and smell. He and his father occasionally played 'Hunting Ada' in these tunnels, but Legolas had always relied on his father's knowledge of the tunnels and sense of direction during those rare moments of play. Sternly forcing down the urge to cry, he kept moving, backtracking twice when he ran into a dead end. 

The tunnels were dark even in the daytime, but at night they took on a gloom that made even the most stalwart avoid them unless absolutely necessary. The lower one went, the danker and gloomier the tunnels got until they dropped off into an underground river. Any elf finding their way down that far without provisions was not likely to return. All elflings had heard that tale, told by their elders who could name at least one of their companions that had taken the dare to venture into the bowels of the palace and had never returned. 

Suddenly Legolas stopped dead in his tracks, causing Ilmrie and Rieon to run into him and each other.

"What is it?" Rieon whispered. Legolas shook his head and held up a hand for silence. After a moment, he answered.

"I heard something, but I do not hear it now." A frown creased the youngest elfling's brow as he fought not to let the others see that he was trembling. "Come on, this way," he stated shortly, pulling on Ilmrie's wrist. They continued along for a few paces when a slight shuffling sound caused them all to stop short again.

"Did you hear that?" Ilmrie whispered. 

Wide-eyed, both his companions nodded. The shuffling came again, this time closer. Legolas swallowed visibly and drew the small boot knife that his father allowed him to carry. The blade was barely the length of his little finger, but it was the only weapon he had. Rieon and Ilmrie followed suit, their blades barely longer than his. A low moan from the same direction that the shuffling noise had come caused the hair on the backs of their necks to stand on end. The shuffling was much closer now. Legolas' hand tightened on his small knife.

A tall form, draped in filmy gray rags swept around the corner and rushed at the elflings, arms reaching for them. The three elflings shrieked and ran, weapons forgotten. The nightmare form gave chase.

They rounded a bend and were faced with diverging tunnels. Before they could consciously choose one, another nightmare creature appeared in the entry of the right hand tunnel, rushing at them exactly as the other had. The elflings shrieked again and fled down the left hand tunnel, the nightmare creatures in pursuit. 

The three terrified youngsters tumbled through a door at the end of the tunnel into a brightly lit corridor just down from the banquet hall. Still wailing, the three ran as fast as their legs could carry them into the hall and straight to their respective parents.

Thranduil caught his sobbing son, a look of consternation on his face. That look was swiftly replaced by a fierce scowl that forecast doom for whatever had caused the elfling's distress. Legolas was trembling so badly that it took the better part of an hour for his father to coax the story from him. 

After calming his son and putting him to bed with a berry pie and his nursemaid in attendance, Thranduil made his way to his study where the fathers of the other two elflings were waiting along with Lord Elrond and Haldir, who was representing Lorien for the celebration. Taking a seat by the hearth and bidding the others to do the same Thranduil massaged his temples, vainly attempting to fend off the headache that was forming. Ilmrie's father spoke up first.

"Ilmrie swears that they were chased by a pair of wights. I can get little else out of him." Rieon's father nodded.

"Rieon says the same, but also that he is positive he heard spiders as well. I know not what to think." Thranduil gave them both a measured look before he spoke.

"Legolas said they were chased by two tall figures dressed in gray rags." He fell silent for a moment. "Whatever it was, they saw something and I mean to get to the bottom of it." Haldir chose that moment to speak up.

"Has anyone seen Elladan or Elrohir since before the elflings left the banquet hall?" 

Elrond and Thranduil looked up in surprise at the young warrior, then at each other. Elrond's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"No, I have not seen my sons since the second course was served. Shall we go and see where they have gotten to?"

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Thranduil and Elrond moved silently through the hidden hallway that connected with the room assigned to Elladan. It was an educated guess on Elrond's part that they would be in the elder twin's room. The guess proved correct and the two moved in to listen.

"I cannot believe they fell for that one! Well, Legolas yes, he is young enough but not Rieon and Ilmrie! Havens, they are already in novice training, they should know better!" Elladan chuckled at the memory.

"I wish Legolas had not been with them, brother. I think we scared him badly. He is too young to know that wights do not live under his father's palace." Elrohir spoke softly, a hint of remorse in his tone. "We will have to make amends to him in the morning."

"Oh, aye, Master Softheart. If it pleases you, then we will talk to him in the morning." Elladan's reply was punctuated by the sound of a pillow hitting an elven head.

"I am for bed, Master Heartless. I will see you in the morning." The younger twin left the room and Elrond and Thranduil withdrew back down the hallway and to Thranduil's study where the others were still waiting.

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"Well, at least we know what happened and who is responsible," Rieon's father commented sourly. Elrond grimaced, mortified by his son's behavior. Bad enough that they should pull a prank like this, but to do it in Thranduil's home was inexcusable.

"You know that they will be facing my wrath over this, mellon-nin, but that is secondary to yours," Elrond said simply, turning to face Thranduil. "As they showed the extreme bad judgment to do this in your home, they are in your hands." Thranduil frowned thoughtfully for several minutes before a smug smirk appeared on his countenance.

"I think it is time for a bit of poetic justice." He turned to the other two fathers, "Bring Rieon and Ilmrie back here in one hour." To Haldir he said, "Do you still recall how to imitate a warg's howl?" Haldir replied in the affirmative. "Excellent! I will need you here as well." He stepped to the door and gave some instructions to the guards stationed there. Stepping back inside, he grinned at Elrond. "Mellon-nin, how would you like to help the elflings get a bit of their own back and redeem your family honor in the process?" Elrond's response was an arched eyebrow, but he agreed to play along.

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Legolas had not been able to go to sleep. Every time he started to drift into reverie, he saw the gray figures coming at him and startled himself aware. He launched himself into his father's arms as soon as Thranduil entered the room.

"Easy, little squirrel. Nothing will harm you here." Thranduil smoothed the elfling's hair as he hugged him tightly. "Legolas, I am afraid that you had a very nasty joke played on you tonight. There never were any wights, it was Elladan and Elrohir." Thranduil watched his son's mouth fall open in surprise, and then his face flushed with anger. He sputtered indignantly, so angry that he wanted to say bad words and making a valiant effort not to do so in front of his father. Thranduil let him wind down before continuing. "Ion-nin, this one time I am going to assist you and your friends in rendering a bit of justice on the twins. Come with me." He helped Legolas into a tunic and leggings and led him back to the study.

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Elladan was deep in reverie, enhanced by the strong wine he had consumed that night. He did not hear the stealthy footfalls crossing the floor to the side of his bed. He did not stir as his covers were carefully removed. He did not stir when two covered baskets were held above his chest. However, he sat bolt upright when a warg's howl rent the air. Before he could react further, a dozen spiders the size of his palm landed on his head and several snakes dropped into his lap. He yelled, scrambling off the bed and tearing the spiders from his hair. Similar sounds from across the hall told him that his brother had been treated to an identical awakening. 

As he stood, chest heaving and trying to orient himself, a hard hand latched onto his left ear and he yelped as he was summarily hauled into Elrohir's room by his father. Elrond released him at his twin's side and glared at the both of them. Thranduil appeared at Elrond's side a moment later, Legolas tucked firmly against his hip and identical scowls on both their faces. The twins suddenly found the ground at their feet to be fascinating. Thranduil was the first to speak.

"If you two orcs have anything to say, now would be the time." Both shook their heads emphatically. "Am I to understand that this will never occur again?" Both nodded. "Good." He turned to their father, "Elrond, I release them to your custody. I trust that your retribution will be sufficiently unpleasant." With that, he lifted Legolas into his arms and strode to the door. Legolas pulled a face at the twins over his father's shoulder and made a rather rude gesture. 

The rest of the assembly departed one by one, Haldir openly snickering. He let out with another warg howl as soon as the door closed behind him. Through it all, Elrond never moved a muscle and his expression never changed. As soon as the last of the sounds had faded down the hall, he abruptly turned and exited without a word. Elladan looked at his twin.

"I do not know whether to be relieved or frightened." Elrohir nodded vigorously.

"I do not think I will rest at all tonight for wondering what Ada plans to do to us in the morning." He favored his brother with a rather sheepish look. "Elladan, would you mind if I slept in your room tonight?" 

FIN

Happy Halloween, everyone!!!!!!!!!! Hugs and chocolate!!!


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